Sock supporter



Oct. 13, 1931. L. wooos SOCK SUPPORTER Filed Sept. 2e. 1930 0 22; A TTORN E Y.

Patented J "LEoNARnwoons or sr'ivnss'ouni soon srirroitrnn f o adam file d sept'ember 26,i193Q. :S ri al mama;

This invention relatesto certainnew and useful improvements in sock-supporters; the

peculiarities of which will be hereinafter and-the shorterpo'rtio'n to] form anarm adapted to be. .-,disposedcircumferentially near the top ofiasock-a 'and kbe bent to conform to theshinbone-fof the wearer y-secondly,' to proyide fsuitable fastening means to secure. the circumferential. arm portion to the top of the sock, and means toprimarily support the bottom end of "the vertical portion of said piecez-adjacent to the heel of inaterial'in one integral L-shaped piece as I the sock; third1y,fto provide a separately formed POCkQlQWltlljWfillS of differentihe'i'ght to facilitate securing thepocket to thesock, and having an entrance to the; pocket ,wider' i thanthe bottom to facilitate; insertionofthe vertical 'portion. of the L-shapedpiece;

fourthly, to provide'a fabric covering for the fiat bendably rigid'L-shaped piece,- adaptedto prevent. abrasive contact with the leg of I ing parts,

} the wearer'when said piece is adjusted'on the inside 'ofa'sock; fifthly; to provideiaspeg cial'form of fastening meansforthehorizontal arm ofsaid supporting pieceto secure itito the top of'a sock; and to provide other features of j construction hereinafter fully describedandclaimed.

In the accompanying drawlngs" on like reference numeralsindicate correspond Fig.1 is represents, a sidevieweof.

' shaped supporting piece applied-to a sock for the right leg indicated sbyfdash linesand'in its fiat positionbefore the horizontal{ armis r bent around the front of the wearerlsleg,

: r v lined by dash lines 'and the'preferred pocket supporting the bottom portion being shown in end of the vertical section in section with the? horizontal arm bent around the front of the leg and the sock out Fig. 3, a plan viewof the-top of a sock 1 in dash lines with my horizontalarm of the Fig. 2, an edge view of mydevice,,p art1y suitableraaning means and constitutes the supporting piece bent around inside the sock atthe-frontv to conformto the shinbon-evof the wearer. I I

designates'the longer portion of an L -shaped supporting piece, the shorter portion 4 form,-

Referring to the drawings; the humerus I i ing an arm. This piece'is made of a Inate I prefer to: use sheet aluminum ofthe.

which it is applied as" will. now be described.

Cl-.his'L-shaped piece-is preferably cut or stamped from a flatsheet of the preferred wearer andinside of the sock; The longer portion of, saidpiece 1S vertically disposedlengthwise: of the sock onthe ins de of the "shown in-Fign-L'.This pieceis of-substan'tially I uniform thickness throughoutwithout any double-d portion or protuberence that would prevent it lying snugly against theleg ofvthe sock} andiis shownrin Fig.2 as applied to the 1 in'Iie'rTsurface'of theright leg of the wearer.

IlIhis L-shaped piece is preferably coveredby asuitable' fabricl0 to prevent its chafing the skin ofthe leg. The armportion-is provided withifasteningsmeans, preferably the snap fastener forrn a pair of which 5+5 is secured to-the end of the arm 4 and at the junc tion of said; arm withth-e vertically disposed stripfi: Each pair-0f thesefas'teners is connected by awflexiblei web 6 adapted to be so asto engage the interposed sockbetween the fastening members when in their fastened folded; over the upper edge ofthe sock from the inside of thesoclrdownwardto the outside;

position,. as shownfin Fig. 2; Other suitable fastening m'ean -s may be employed. The arm 4 being integraltwith'thevertical strip 3' and thus secured-to'the topof'thesock, acts as'a secondary support to'the'top of the sock and tensions the leg of-the sock from the upward reritionbfthei vertical'sitrip 3,-thebottoin end of which; is secured near the heel "by primary support- The preferred form of means to secure the bottom end of the strip 3 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and consists of a separately formed pocket of two walls 7 and 8 which are of different height,the wall 7 being disposed on the inside of the sock and secured by stitches or otherwise through the upper portion which extends above the wall 8. The wall 8, also preferably has a fullness with respect to the wall 7 which causes the wall 8 to open and provide a wide entrance to the pocket for insertion of the bottom end of the strip 3.,

In order further to facilitate such insertion, I preferably make the end walls 9 of said pocket flaring upward as shown in Fig. 1 which widens the entrance and makes it easy; for the bottom end of the strip 3 to be inserted in the pocket. This insertion is made first, and then the leg of the sock is stretched to suitable tension and the upper edge of'the sock is then secured by the snap or other fasteners to the arm.. Such action tensions the of the sock as before stated and takes out anysag in the sock and holds the leg of the seek in smooth condition and appearance.

. It will be observed that my form of sock supporter does not press upon the leg circumferentially as in the usual elastic garter. In fact, all pressure is removed from the leg of the wearer while the leg of the sock is maintained in its stretched position under tension as above described.

Since the bottom end of the vertically disnosed strip 3 is mounted in the pocket or other fastening means near the heel and ankle of the wearer, and the upper end of said strip is provided with a horizontal arm bent around the comparatively sharp shinbone of the wearer and is secured to the top of the sock as above described, the vertical strip is prevented from shifting from its adjusted position and is maintained in the desired vertical position best adapted to support the sock as above described. In other words, the pocket at the heel locates the bottom end of the strip 3 while the upper end of the same strip is held bv the horizontal arm 4: bent around the wearers leg and secured to the top of the sock. The flaring pocket allows the required forward and backward swing of the vertical piece 3 when the wearers leg moves in similar directions about the ankle as the pivot point in walking and running. Thus my sock supporter provides a device that is readily at tached to the sock for use, and is readily detached therefrom when sending the sock to the wash. The preferred form of pocket described above, with its double walls which enclose the bottom end of the strip 3, prevents wear of the sock at that end, and protects the wearers ankle from abrasive contact. This pocket m a v be of chamois leather, drilling or suitable fabric and is separately formed and then permanently stitched or otherwise secured to the inside of the sock, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

I claim:

1. A sock supporter comprising a vertical flat rigid strip having a horizontal arm at the top adapted to be disposed respectively lengthwise and circumferentially at the top on the inside of a sock and having a protective fabric covering, flexible bands at the ends of said arm adapted to extend over the top of the sock and provided with snap fasteners adapted to engage the interposed sock, and means to support the lower end of said strip onthe inside of the sock, substantially as described.

2. Asock supporter comprising a bendably rigid vertical strip having a horizontal arm forming an L-shaped piece adapted to be disposed respectively lengthwise and circumferentially near the top and front of a sock on both sides of the wearers shinbone and covered with fabric to protect the wearers leg, a separately formed double wall pocket secured to theinside near the heel of the sock adapted to receive and primarily support the bottom end of said strip and avoid wear on the sock and abrasive contact of the wearers ankle, and means carried by said horizontal arm to secure it to the top of the sock and secondarily support and tension the leg of the sock and prevent shifting upon the wear ers leg of the vertical strip from its adjusted position in the sock, substantially as described.

3. A sock supporter comprising a flat, integral, L-shaped supporting piece of sheet material, the longer portion vertically disposed lengthwise on the inside at the side of the sock and the shorter portion forming an arm bent around the shinbone of the wearer and lying flat between the top of the sock and the wearers leg, clamping means carried by the arm to engage thetop of the sock, and means carried on the inside of the sock near the ankle to support the bottom end of said longer portion, substantially as described.

4. A sock supporter comprising a flat, integral, L-shaped supporting piece of sheet material, the longer portion being vertically disposed in the sock, and the shorter portion extending around in front of the leg at the top of the sock, flexible bands at the ends of the shorter portion to extend over the top of the sock and provided with snap fasteners to en gage and hold interposed top portions of the sock, and means to support the lower end of the longer portion on the inside of the sock, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

' LEONARD WOODS. 

